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Source: https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-900427
Israel Can't Outsource Its Security
(Jerusalem Post) Editorial - Israel must protect its alliance with the U.S. while making clear that responsibility for Israeli security rests with Jerusalem alone. The U.S. is Israel's closest ally. American support has helped Israel militarily, diplomatically, technologically, and economically. American presidents are elected to serve American interests. Israeli prime ministers are elected to serve Israeli interests. Often, those interests overlap. Sometimes they diverge. Washington is pursuing regional diplomacy that affects Israel's security. Israel should listen, but it should remember that no foreign capital, however friendly, can be expected to carry the burden of Israel's survival. Israel's founding prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, knew declarations of support could disappear when hard decisions arrived. He believed Israel's fate would depend on its own strength, moral clarity, and willingness to act. His view was shaped by Jewish history and by the bitter lesson that Jews who depend on others for protection may be abandoned at the decisive hour. That thinking became part of Israel's national security doctrine. Israel would seek allies, welcome support, and build friendships. It would also preserve the ability to act alone when survival was at stake. Israeli leaders understood that outside approval was valuable, but national survival could not wait for consensus. Iran remains the central regional threat. Its proxies - Hizbullah, Hamas, the Houthis, and other Iranian-backed forces - continue to surround Israel. Allies are essential, but responsibility for Israel's security belongs to Israel alone.